Chapter 1
The first thing I noticed when my eyes finally opened was green. Lots and lots of green. It looked like the sea had flooded the world around me and stuck there. I think I was in some kind of building, since I could see seams in the walls and there were light switches. My vision was blurry, and my head was throbbing, but I could make out people bustling around in what appeared to be a hallway. I couldn’t be sure because I was having trouble focusing.
Blinking hard, I looked down and noticed I was in a bed and had an IV medicine plugged into my left arm. Now I was wondering if I had just woken up in a hospital. Raising my free arm, I brushed away a thick blanket covering me.
“WHAT?!” I blurted aloud, getting the attention of multiple people.
My vision had now come back to me completely, but I wished it hadn’t. My legs were braced up and bandaged like a corpse. I had actually needed to get the interest of those people, who I imagined were nurses. Right on time, one of them bustled over from a bed like mine nearby and leaned close to me.
“Is something wrong, girl?”
I snapped out of shock and turned to face the nurse-like lady: “What happened to me? I look like a mummy out of a horror movie! Also, it hurts.”
“Well, you’re in a hospital now…” She started.
I knew it!
“…and that’s what we did to save you from bleeding to death.” She said, shrugging, as if she thought it was nothing. “Your name is—um, Kristen, right?”
“Kaléa,” I corrected. Then, I lied: “I’m hungry. I would like a cookie.”
“Fine, child,” the nurse grumbled. “I’ll send someone in with the snack cart.”
Thinking quickly, I dropped to the floor and retrieved the blanket I tossed down there. OW! How could I be so stupid to forget the bandages! Tearing off the braces, I used the blanket like a parachute and jumped out the nearest window. I didn’t even wait for that cookie!
“Welcome back, Agent Kaléa,” the leader said. “I am glad to see that you have survived your last mission.”
“Um, the window of time where I lost contact with you was due to the fact that I was in a hospital. I asked for a cookie, the nurse went to get one, and I got back to the agency again.”
“Good,” the leader replied, nodding slowly. “A brave escape plan.”
I should probably fill you in about what’s happening right now. I work for a secret society called Grand Canyon East. The enemy is on the other side of the canyon and is called Grand Canyon West. The agency sent me out on a mission to the other side of the Canyon to make peace with both sides. I failed my objective and wound up in the hospital because I discovered the other side had firearms. Locals from a nearby town found me injured and took me there. Also, I’ve been an orphan since I was 6, so I don’t have parents to be worried about me or prevent me from joining Grand Canyon East.
Oh, and about this base on the East side. It’s a wooden fortress jaggedly constructed into the side of a cliff overlooking the depths of the glorious Grand Canyon. A pathway out the back door leads to tents where the residents live on top of the ground. I love it all, especially since everything is run by orphans. It’s like an orphanage run by the kids! Except for Mr. Riordan, the adult leader to keep order here.
“Mr. Riordan,” I said nervously, “can I try again?”
“WHAT?!” The leader bellowed at me with a confused tone, “This is not a video game, Kaléa! You have only have one life and were—”
“But wait—,” I interjected, “I want some help this time.”
Mr. Riordan sighed and lay his forehead in his palm. “Well, we need to do something before this canyon crumbles during our next war. I will meet with the East council and we will see…”
Days passed. It was a full week before the East council e-mailed me on my phone from my tent outside base camp and told me:
To: Agent Kaléa
From: East Grand Canyon Council of Affairs
Subject: second chance
The East council of the Grand Canyon has arranged a decision for you. You have been chosen to attempt making peace among the East and West Grand Canyon sides. You may choose one helper to aid you on your journey. If you accept the council’s generous offering, you must report to the combat training arena before 1:10 tomorrow morning.
Wow! A second chance! I couldn’t believe that the council would actually give me a second chance at making peace.
